[Jack Peters]

I have never received a bad gift. Ever. On occasion, because we were poor, I got nothing but understood that was the way it was. No big deal. Didn't know we were poor until I grew up and got away from home. Love covers a lot of things.

i have received odd, unusable and even broken gifts. Got clothes in October/November but on occasion got nothing but love. Not every year but on occasion.

I found out it is not things you give but giving of yourself to those you love and to strangers too.

Just had to do this especially in the light of other threads talking aobut the worst gifts.

Found out that Love is greatest gift.

[2002Z4CSS]

My wife and I are not buying any Christmas gifts this year for the 1st time ever since we don't have the money and I refuse to go in debt buying gifts for each other and the kids. She decided not to even put up the tree and other decorations since it won't feel like Christmas to her. Going to have each other and a nice meal.

[arbys]

My wife and I decided to cut back on presents for each other. I'm retired and it was not a good year nor last year, imagine that. We have 4 children and 11 grandchildren that will do well. The wife I have all we need and want so it would be a waste to buy each other things that we don't need so $30 gifts between us.

[The Boss]

None of the adults in my family are exchanging gifts this year, partly due to the economy, but also due to the amount of **** that people end up accumulating in a lifetime. My Mother went into a nursing home this summer and my Father has started to empty their house of 50 years of things they saved and thought they needed to save. Not hoarders by any stretch but just things that accumulate over time. He called last night to tell me that if I'm bringing the kids school pictures up at Christmas time to not bother getting frames - he's got plenty of them from past years.

We'll spend more time together enjoying each other's company - It's the memories we need to save, not the stuff.

[67 LeMans 326]

This year will be all about being thankful for what we do have opposed to sad about the things we do not. This past year has been the worst ever for us finacially. Once we found out about my vision loss in Aug 08, things have gone from bad to worse. First we lost the only new vehicle we ever owned and most recently we lost our home.

So yes we have lost a lot of material things this past year. However, I will say this. My wife and son have not missed a beat. The three of us have become closer than ever before, our love is stronger. My wife and I have become a team like never before. We feel we can survive anything at this point, all based on the fact that we care and love one another. This will be our gift to each other this year. The simple fact that we have survived everything that has been thrown at us.

This Christmas will be the best ever. No gifts, just love. The fact that we are leaving here today (FL) and heading up to Buffalo to be with our older two children and our 2 year old grandson is icing on the cake. All we ask for is a safe trip up north as my wife will have to do the driving and we are taking our 16 year old van with a heating system that works when it wants to.

So for us, getting up to Buffalo to be with family is our only gift this year. However, I'd be a fool if I did not offer thanks for the greatest gift ever. The day I was born back in Oct. 1968 I was given the ultimate gift. Being born with optic nerves less than 50% developed I did not have vision in one eye my entire life. The gift which I am referring to is the vision I did have for the first 40 years of my life in the other eye.

By all accounts and every doctor I have seen thus far, I should have been completely blind from day one. They tell me that there is no explanation for the vision I've had in my "good eye". I am no fool, there is in fact an explanation. God gave me this gift and I will be forever thankful. Now that I am losing vision in this eye, I am even more grateful as I have been a lucky man. The simple fact that I will be able to spend Christmas with family and will be able to SEE their faces one more time, yes, I am a lucky man!

Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you and your families,
Joe, Tammy & Jeffrey

[Pontiac Slim]

1986 received a stuff animal toy as my only gift. It was from the city of New York as my daughter was in the hospital there and was not expected to live. She pulled through and I keep that stuffed toy in the "hot rod" as a reminder as to what its all about.
Pontaic Slim

[NYH1]

Things are very tight for us this year as well. My wife and I are just taking care of our three kids for the most part. She's getting me a few little parts for the car and I'm getting her a few little things too. Nothing like years past.

I'm going to be loosing my job within the next 6 months. Then I'll have to find another job...that really isn't out there. At least not around here. I'll be fighting for the same jobs that the other 1500 or so people that used to be my coworkers, some of them were good friends, will also be fighting for. This has been the fastest year of my life. Once they announced they were closing the plant, time has gone by so fast. It honestly feels like last Christmas was a month or so ago.

We want to give our three kids one more good Christmas. They know and understand what's going on. Our 9 year old has figured it out recently. They're being very understanding. Hopefully we'll be able to do a little more for them then they expect. That'd be nice.

[GT182]

The wife and I don't give gifts to each other these days. Tho the grandkids get a little something from us.

Back in 95 I was destitue from an injury caused by a guy I worked for. For 3 years I didn't have 2 pennies to rub together in my pocket. That's where I learnt the real meaning of Christmas, and what friends are or are not.

[Sirrotica]

Christmas isn't about material things, It's a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Too many people have forgotten why this holiday is called CHRISTmas. It's about good will towards your fellow man and if the population would carry this forward all the year instead of just around December 25th wouldn't the world be a much better place?

Hug your kids and your wife and be thankful for what you have and not what you feel your owed, because no one is owed anything and good deeds will be remembered, if not in this life, the life after.

Merry Christmas to all.........................

[68lemansman]

This year will be very hard on me because of the fact that Im awaiting neck surgery to come in the near future. I was injured at work and it seems like since the last four months I havent been able to go back to work they dont care. I have given many years to a company that I have benn injured from and not one phone cal or email or anythi8ng from my so called "friends at work" to see how im doing. I cant go to work and I cant go get another job because of my injury that needs to be fixed. So with all that Ive been in a slump of trying to keep my head up and thinking positive with the holiday coming up. Sometimes i would sit and think about what christmas was really about in the past when people didnt even have alot of money. I know the economy sucks right now and a lot of people dont have it to go buy presents. Some would even buy little things that didnt cost a lot of money to mean something. I love my kids with all my heart and times are tuff and they know that and even if I can get them one thing even if its a little thing then they know that that one little thing could mean a whole lot. I know on christmas eve i would be in church like i always am every christmas and I might not have a lot of money but i will always have my faith !!

[77GP]

Great messages here.. I should make my 11 year old read it as he ONLY wants $700 for Christmas. We are both blessed to have good jobs but man things are just outrageously expensive. Gas and groceries really eats it up. We seldom buy for the adults anymore, just a few kids in family. On my Mom's 65th birthday, I just offered to clean her car up and wax it for her. Thats more of a gift to her. She takes pride in her car. Has an 06 Monte and likes to keep it and the chrome wheels a shinin! Give gifts they cant give theirselves.

[Jack Peters]

We will give things this Christmas and the best of all, we will have a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas Eve. Usually about 20 people show up and we have one of the kids read the Christmas Story then we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. One of the littlest children blows out the candle.

We have done this for over 30 years. We have always had company on Christmas eve. With or without money. It is somewhat tight but we are blessed.

We MUST remember that HE is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas everyone.
Please continue to share. I have been blessed by your sharing of your situations.

[John Eiseman]

I have so much to be thankful for, job, health, home and family. I remember 3 years ago while being self employed how tough things were at this time of the year. It was a very humbling experience for myself and our family. I've learned that its better to be happy with what you have than what you dont. Many Blessings to ALL this Christmas.

[bird72]

thank you, for the thread. spot on thoughts throughout.

[arbys]

This thread is much different than the title indicates.
It's amazing to see what PY'ers really feel is important. Many people are hurting with medical and economic problems but most see hope and blessings for the Christmas Season and the future. Times like this are good point to look in retrospect how we have been blessed.

[67cruiser]

2009 i recieved nothing! Yes!! i did get a oh well!! Mariage its a wonderfull blissfull thing, is it not???

[NYH1]

Originally Posted by 68lemansman

This year will be very hard on me because of the fact that Im awaiting neck surgery to come in the near future. I was injured at work and it seems like since the last four months I havent been able to go back to work they dont care. I have given many years to a company that I have benn injured from and not one phone cal or email or anythi8ng from my so called "friends at work" to see how im doing. I cant go to work and I cant go get another job because of my injury that needs to be fixed. So with all that Ive been in a slump of trying to keep my head up and thinking positive with the holiday coming up. Sometimes i would sit and think about what christmas was really about in the past when people didnt even have alot of money. I know the economy sucks right now and a lot of people dont have it to go buy presents. Some would even buy little things that didnt cost a lot of money to mean something. I love my kids with all my heart and times are tuff and they know that and even if I can get them one thing even if its a little thing then they know that that one little thing could mean a whole lot. I know on christmas eve i would be in church like i always am every christmas and I might not have a lot of money but i will always have my faith !!

I'm in the same boat, but it's my back. I'm in and out of work. The company is trying to make as hard on me as they can. 13 years of dedicated service and instead of helping me, they're trying to get rid of me. Which is the last thing they should be doing. The plants closing within the next year and they still want to make it as hard on everyone as they can. This has been the worse year of my life.